Door hanger



Oct. 24, 1933. HOFFMAN 1,931,796

DOOR HANGER Filed Deo. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @da 24, lggg L HOFFMAN LQQ DOOR HANGER Filed Deo. 8 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 24, 1933 Parar Price DOOR HANGER Peter L. Hoffman, Aurora, Ill., 'assigner to Rich- 'l artis-Wilcox Manufacturing Company, Aurora, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 8,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to door hangers, and more particularly to such hangers of the swiveling type.

More particularly the door hanger of the present invention is adapted for supporting sliding and'swinging doors of the multiple leaf type, or sliding doors either of the multiple leaf or single panel or section type. In the case of the former type of doors, a plurality of leaves are suitably hinged together for sliding and swinging movement to one side edge of a door opening being adapted in closed position to fold in accordion Y fashion. For suitably supporting a door of this type in its travelling Vmovements to open or closed positions, the inner leaf is supported by a door hanger with one or more of the intermediate leaves being similarly supported depending upon the number of leaves comprising the door. Preferably, the hangers are adapted to ride in a trackway or trackways disposed in parallel or slightly angular relation with respect to the door opening, so that vin the course of movement of the door leaves the hangers must accommodate swinging as Well as sliding movement. In the case of sliding doors comprising multiple leaves or single leaves, movable independently of each other, such doors are usually adapted to be moved to open position along a curved path beyond one side edge of the door opening for disposition in openposition along the inner side of a side wall of the inclosure. It Will be readily apparent that in such movement, sliding and swinging movements ofthe leaves, panels or Ysections relative to the track,'result.

In Vthe course of swiveling or swinging movements of the usual suspension vmembers of door hangers for doors of the above noted types, the carrier frame of the door hanger is subjected to 'lateral movement, causing the usual wheels or rollers 4to engage side portions of the track, resulting in unsteady sliding movement of the door leaves, rendering opening and closing movements of the doors with which the hangers are associated vdifcult, dueto frictional contact, and further resulting in undue wear and tear both as to the track and carrier frame, wheels or rollers. Y

V"To eliminate such objectionable features the present invention contemplates in its main feature the provision of a steadying means for swiveling door hangers, wherein lateral play of the 'hanger vframe and associated rollers or wheels is counteractedandborne by the steadying means.

=Anotherfeature of the present invention.

1930.v serial No. sconce (c1. ifi- 98) resides in such a positioning of the steadying means that the lateral play is taken'up at a point or along a plane where the lateral play will be counteracted by cooperation of the steadying means and track, by that portion` of the track having the greatest resisting effect.

A iurther feature of the present invention resides in such an arrangement of partsl wherein the steaclyiiig means cooperates with the 'track by rolling contact and is antifrictionally supported for such Contact, whereby friction incident to such cooperation is maintainedv at a minimum resulting inefficient, free rolling 'steadying operation. y

Another feature of the present invention contemplates the 'provision of anti-friction means between the frame and load supporting-'portions of the door hanger wherein the vthrust surfaces` therebetween are prevented from transmitting rotational or swinging efect to the khanger frame, such anti-friction means concurrently acting to reduce the friction of the steadying means to a minimum.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the, provision of a novel adjusting arrangement for lateral adjustments of the leaf with which the hanger is associated. v

Other and further features and advantages of the present invention will appear from the lfollowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustratedin the ac companying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side velevation of a hanger embodying the salient features of the presentinvention, showing its associationwith a fragmentary portion of the upper end of a door leaf,v parts being Vshown in section;

YFigure 2 is an end elevation of the .hanger ,and associated parts; f 1 Figure 3 is a section taken substantiallyA along the line 3-,3 of Figure 1; rand Figure 4 is a perspective view of a locking plate employed inthe connection between the suspension member and the supporting plate forpreventing relative rotation between the supporting member and supporting plate and for accommo-J dating lateral adjustments therebetween.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as applied-to the upper end of a door leaf 11, 'a supporting connection between the door hanger and leaf comprising a substantially L-shaped plate 12 suitably secured to leaf 1l by means of a plurality of staggered bolts 13, although any los other suitable or appropriate securing means may be employed.

The hanger is adapted to cooperate with a suitable track member 14 preferably comprising an inverted substantially U-shaped member having side or leg portions 15 terminating along their lower edges in traclrways 16 of trough-like formation providing adjacent upwardly extending ianges 17.

The carrier portion of the hanger comprises a preferably one-piece frame 18 provided substantially centrally thereof with an enlarged portion 19 (see Figure 3) provided with a bore 21, the ends or" such frame 18 having enlarged coplanar portions 22 having axial bores such as 23 extending transversely therethrough. Each enlarged portion 22 is further provided with suitably formed bearing races 24 of larger diametric dimension than bore 23, said races dening the ends of such bore. A pair of oppositely dispose wheels or rollers 25 are suitably secured to a pin 26 extending axially therethrough, the inner faces of the hubs of wheels 25 abutting the outer faces of bearing rings or races 27. Suitable anti-friction means such as balls 28 are interposed between races 24 and 27v for anti-frictionally supporting wheels 25 upon frame 18.

As will be readily apparent from Figures 1 and 3, two sets of such wheels are provided, such Wheels being adapted to run in the trackways 16.

A suspension member 29 has the upper reduced portion thereof extending upwardly through bore 21 in frame 18, the intermediate portionl of such member 29 being provided with a collar 31 adapted to seat in a counterbore 32 in the under face of frame 18, and is adapted to have free relative rotation in such bore. The upper end of suspension member 29 is provided with a further reduced portion 33 providing an annular shoulder 33'. An anti-friction means 34 comprising a lower race 35 and an upper race 36 with suitable anti-friction bearings such as balls 37 interposed therebetween has its lower race 35 resting upon the upper face of the frame 18, races 35 and 36 being adapted to freely embrace the upper portion of the suspension member 21 adjacent the reduced portion 33. Seated upon the upper face of the upper race 36 is a horizontally disposed roller 38 provided with a central bore 39 of substantially larger diametric dimension than the upper end of the suspension member 29, such roller being provided with an enlarged counterbore 41 extending downwardly from its upper face, the lower end of such counterbore 41 terminating in a bearing race 42. A thrust collar 43 is tted over the upper reduced end 33 of the suspension member 29, thrust collar 43 being formed with va reduced portion at its Vlower end 44, such collar extending into the counterbore 41, the juncture of reduced portion 44 with the upper end of collar 43 providing a bearing race 45. A plurality of anti-friction members such as balls 46 are interposed between races 42 and 45 providing anti-friction connection between thrust collar 43 'and roller 38. The upper end of the reduced portion Y33 is riveted or peened over at 47 in a countersunk portion of the axial bore of collar 43 to rigidly secure such collar thereto and with its reduced end 44 in engagement with shoulder 33. Reduced end 44 is of larger cross-sectional dimension than suspension member 29 so that such end will engage the upper race 36 of bearing 34. Roller 38 rests freely upon upper race 36, balls 46 being adapted to take up lateral thrust im-A posed upon roller 38.

1t will be readily apparent from Figures 2 and 3 that roller 38 is adapted to engage theV inner walls of the depending legs or side portions l5 ci track member 14 adjacent the top or intermediate portion oi such track member where the lateral resistive eiiect'of the side portions 15 is relatively great. Whereas heretofore, lateral thrust imposed upon the carrier member of hangers of the type disclosed due to swiveling movements of the suspension member was imparted to the wheels 25 causing such wheels to engage the adjacent nanges 17 of the track member 14, in the present construction, such lateral stresses are taken up by the roller 38 due to its cooperation with side portions 15 ci track member 14 at a V.point with respect to the track member where the spreading eect due to lateral stresses is reduced to a minimum. At the same time, roller 38 provides-a steadying effect to longitudinal movements Y of the supporting frame ofthe hanger relative to the track member 14. It will be further apparentfthatV since roller 38 has free rotational support upon ball bearing 46 and is antiirictionallyV disposed relative to collar 43, roller 38 will have free rolling contact with the side walls ofthe track, its steadying eect being accompanied only by a minimum amount oi friction.V Y

The lower end of suspension member 29 is provided with an enlarged portion51 having slabbed oi portions 52, such portion 5i being provided with suitable threads 53. Enlarged portion 51 is adapted to taire through an elongated slot 54 provided in the horizontally extending portion 55 of the l.-shaped plate 12, the width of slot 54 being slightly greater than the largest diametric dimension of the enlarged portion 51. A collar 56 has threaded lengagemen with the enlarged portion 5l and is provided upon its upper face with an extension or lug 57 adapted to cooperate with the sides of theslot 54 for retaining collar 56 in adjusted positions. A locking plate 58 comprising asubstantially circular portion' 59 is provided with an axial perforation 61, such perforation being or" a configuration to correspond to the transverse configuration of the portion 51 or" suspensionmember 2Q, being formed with straight parallel sides 62 for nonrotative cooperation with the slabbed off Vportions 52. Perforation 61 is suniciently large to freely accommodate portion 51 oisuspension member 29. Plate 58 is further provided with a lateral extension 63 terminating in a right angularly disposed leg portion 64 of a width slightly less than the width of the slot 54 provided in plate 12. Y

Locking plate 58 is adapted to be seated upon the upper face or the horizontal portion 55 of plate 12 with leg portion 64 extending downwardly into the slot 54, the edgesof legV por-` tion 64 being adapted to cooperate with the` side walls of the slot 54- Vto restrain rotation of plate 58` with respect to plate 12. YSuch cooperation will, however, permit of longitudinal movement of plate 58 with respect to the horizontal portion 55 or plate 12. A locls'washer 65 cooperating with a lock nut 66 having threaded engagement with the portion 51V of suspension member 29 is adapted to clamp locking plate 58 in desired adjusted positions with respect to the horizontal portion 55 of the plate12. Y

When it is desired to movethe door leaf 11 to the left as viewed in Figure 2, lock nut 66 may 'be unthreaded upwardly andthe horizontal portion 55 move'dto the left upon the collarv'.

-Since collar56 is reta-ined `from-relative rotation with respect toplate -12 by the cooperation of When it is desired to adjust the vertical di'spositien of `leaf 11 with 'respect to suspension 'member 29,

appreciable unthreading of lock nut 66 will per- '.fmit raising of the 'plate 12 for 'disengagement oflugf-7 from "slot-54 and collarV 56 -may then be moved upwardly or downwardly along the suspension member f29,jas desired. Uponfseating of the portion V`of plate 12 upon collar 56'with the-lug 57 in operative vp'ositio'n'in slot 54, lock nut 66 Amay'be returned'tofits clamping position andthe `parts thus 'maintained after adjustment.

As Lshown in Figure 2,' the maximum movement 'of suspension member 29 to the left is defined by the abutment of the portion 64 of lock plate V58 with the left-handend of the slot 54, while the limit of movement of such Asuspension-membei` to the right isdeii'ned by the abutment of lug 57'with the right-hand -end ofthe slot 54. To increase the limit of movement of the suspensionmember to the right, 'collar 56 may be rotated one hundred 'eighty degrees (180) to dispose lug 57 to the left Vof suspension member 29 instead of the positio'n illustrated. This, of course, entails raising orA lowering vof the plate -12-to the degreeofone-half (1/2) of the pitch of the threads 53. Transposition of collar 56 and responsive raising orilowering of leaf 12 to such a slight degree vwill involve a negligible leffect on desired vertical adjustments of the door, since normally tolerated working vclearance between the lower edge of the door and the ground, or door-frame threshold is substantially more than one-half (1/2) "the pitch'of the threads 53. To accommodate movement of the extension member 29 tothe left for a greater distance than the limit -shown Yin Figure 2, lock nut 66 may be moved in unthreading* direction to permit of raising of the lock plate 58 upwardly along the suspension member' 29 until portion 6'4 thereof isout of engagement with the sidewalls of the slot 54 and upon such displacement of* the lock plate 58, the plate may be transposed one hundred eighty degrees (180) to position the portion v64 to the right of suspension member 29. Thus it will be apparent that the transposition of lock plate 58 to the extent of one hundred eightydegrees (180) permits of adjustmentV of the position of Vsuch plate whereby movement of` suspension member 29 relative to the horizontal portion 55 of plate 12 may be had within predetermined limits of adjustment.

It will be, of course, understood thatwhile door leaf Vor section 11 is shown as being associated with plate 12 to the left thereof as illus- Vskilled in the art, certain changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention or the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters lPatent is:

y1. A door hangerV comprising the combination ofatrack ymember comprising spaced side walls, spaced-paralleltrackways `associated with said trackk member, a frame, track wheels associated 'with-said frame and cooperating with saidftrackways, -a suspension member extending lthrough said frame, vguide wheel means rotatably mounted' on said vsuspension member and cooperating said frame, said Vlast named means cooperating with said guide means to provide Yantifricti'onal support for said guide means.

2. A door hanger comprising a frame, track wheels carried by said frame, a' suspension member, vmeans carried by said suspension member cooperating with said frame for supporting a load, steadyin'g means carried by said suspension member vand disposed between. said supporting means and saidframe, and antifriction'mean's 'interposed between said'rst named means and said steadying means, and between said` steadying means and said frame providing free swiveling movement for said suspension member relative to said frame and free swiveling support for said steadying means, said steadying means being conned substantially within the vertical extent of said wheels. l

3. A door hanger comprising a frame, 'track wheels carried by said frame, a suspension member, means rigidly associated with said suspension member and'rotatably with said frame nection between said frame and suspension Y members, anti-friction means rinterposed between said rigidly associated means and said I frame, and steadying means interposed between said rigidly 'associated means and said anti-friction means for freerrotation independent of said swiveling load supporting connection'of said suspension member.

v4. Adoor hanger comprising the combination of ra track member having side walls terminating attheir lower edges in spaced parallel trackways, a frame, track wheels associated with said frame, a suspension member associatedY with said frame, a guide roller rotatably associated with said suspension member and adapted to cooperate with said side walls to steady longitudinal and lateral movement of said frame relative to said track member, and anti-friction means interposed between said roller and said frame and betweenl said roller and said suspension member providing for rfree rolling cooperation between said roller and said track independent of the disposition of said suspension member relative to said frame.

5. A door hanger comprising a frame, Wheels carried by said frame, a suspension member, a collar disposed on said suspension member, antifriction bearing means 'interposed between said l.

frame and collar, a guide roller rotatably mounted on said suspension member between said collar and said frame and adapted to steady movement of said frame relative to a cooperating track, and a second anti-friction means between said roller and suspension member whereby a vload supporting connection through said collar and one of said anti-friction means is providedv between said suspension member and said frame.

6. An adjustable door hanger comprising a frame, an attaching plate adapted to be secured to a closure and having an elongated aperture therein, a suspension member rotatably associated with said frame and extending through said aperture, means for retaining said plate in adjusted position axially of said suspension member, and means comprising a coaxial locking plate cooperating with said suspensionmember and said aperture in said plate to restrain rotation of said suspension member relative to said plate, said lastvnamed means being adapted to accommodate translational movement of said suspension member relative to said plate in a plurality of directions within predetermined limits of adjustment, and being transposable to accommodate translational adjustment within other predetermined limits.

7. An adjustable door hanger comprising a frame, a suspension member secured to said frame, an attaching plate secured to a closure and having an elongated aperture therein, said aperture being adapted to receive said suspension member, a coaxial closure plate non-rotatably secured about said suspension member, means carried by said closure plate and engaging the side walls 01' said aperture for restraining the rotation' of said suspension member, said means serving as a stop for limiting translational movement of said suspension member in said aperture, and means carried by said suspension member to restrain translational movement of said suspension member, said restraining means being adjustable to secure said Ysuspension member in a plurality` of positions with respect to said attaching plate.

8. An adjustable door hanger comprising a frame, a suspension member secured to said frame, an attaching plate secured to a closure and having an elongated aperture therein adapted toreceive said suspension member, a coaxial locking plate non-rotatably secured about said suspension member, a depending lip portion carried by said locking plate and engaging the side walls of said aperture for restraining the rotation of said suspension member, said por- `tion being adapted to abut the end walls of said aperture to limit endwise movement of said suspension member, and means carried by said suspension member engaging the under surface of said attaching member to restrain translational movement of said suspension member, said restraining means being adjustable to secure said suspension member in a plurality of limited positions with respect to said attaching plate.

9. A door hanger comprising a frame, track wheels carried by said frame, a suspension member secured to said frame, andhaving load supporting means at the upper end thereof, a track member fitting about said frame and track Wheels and providing apair of spaced trackways for said track wheels, and a' guide wheel rotatably mounted on said suspension member between said load supporting means andL said frame, said Wheelbeing disposed within said track member. i

10. The combination with a track member -including atop wall, side walls and la pair of parallel trackways, of a frame, a plurality of wheels carried by said frame and engaging said trackways, a suspension member extending through said frame and having load supporting means atthe upper end thereof, a guide wheel rotatably mountedon said suspension member between said load supporting means and the top wall of said frame, and sWiveling means between said local supporting means and said frame providing for rotation of said suspension 95 Vmember.

thereof, a guide wheel rotatably mounted on said suspension member between said load supporting means and said frame and disposed substantially within the connes of said frame `and said wheels, and swiveling means between said load supporting means and said frame providing for rotation of said suspension member.

12. An adjustable door hanger comprising a frame, a suspension member secured to said frame, an attaching plate secured to a closure and-having an elongated aperture therein receiving said suspensionmember, a coaxial-closure plate non-rotatably secured about said suspension member above said aperture, an Yintegral portion oi said closure plate engagingra side wall of saidl aperture to restrain rotation of said suspension member, said rotation restraining 120 means in one position providing for limited translational adjustment of said suspension member within said aperture, and in a transposed position providing for a different limited translational adjustment of said suspension member within said aperture, and means carried by said suspension member engaging said closure plate and adapted-,to hold said suspension-member in adjusted translational position within said aperture. I 130 PETER L.V HOFFMAN. 

